While the calendar proclaimed spring, someone forgot to clue in Mother Nature. We will now embark upon an Easter which will warrant wearing winter coats but, hopefully, not boots.
There are still many signs of Easter that the weather cannot diminish. Outdoor egg hunts didn’t take much time this year; everyone just moved faster filling their baskets. We should be seeing flower buds pushing their way up through the ground, but that ground is still very hard.
Not affected by the weather at all is the demand for Easter candy — chocolate bunnies in all sizes (just go to Aunt Diana’s to pick your favorite), jelly beans and Peeps. You remember Peeps, those yellow marshmallow delights shaped like a small chick that only appeared at Easter time? Times — and Peeps — have changed, so let’s give Peeps a chance.
For 60 years they have made an appearance in more colors and shapes and for every holiday as well as on non-holidays. The popularity of the gooey candy has extended into the art world with competitions using Peeps as the main artistic elements.
The Riverside Art Center recently took hold of the concept and held a Peeps Diorama Show (I am restraining myself from calling it a Peep Show) with the winners announced on March 14. Congratulations to Grace Garber, Mary Maloney and Janice Fisher for their forays into Peep art. One does have to wonder how many Peeps were devoured while creating the works.
So we look at the changing traditions of Easter — Peeps in different shapes and colors, hard-boiled eggs replacing fillable plastic eggs for egg hunts — some things are the same. We still do not agree on which part of a chocolate rabbit do you eat first, the ears or the other end.
The same question may hold true for lamb cakes. Does your basket have a stuffed bunny, duck or lamb in it? Don’t you find the cellophane shredded filler annoying in those baskets? Like tinsel, you are picking it up for days. Why does it seem that dyed eggs taste better than plain white hard-boiled eggs? Don’t you enjoy dying eggs even though your kids are grown and out of the house? Things to ponder while we wait for spring weather to be upon us.
Next week read more about the Riverside Art Center and coming events and classes. For now Happy Easter and Passover.
